Palestinian fighters from Hamas and Fatah exchanged fire in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, killing a local leader and injuring seven people in the most serious flareup of violence since the two sides reaced a unity accord in Mecca last month. Among the wounded were at least one Hamas gunman and two from Fatah, residents and doctors said, according to Reuters.

Both sides blamed each other for starting the battle in the northern town of Beit Hanoun.

According to the AP, Hamas said a truckload of Fatah gunmen opened fire on its forces near the town's sports club, killing a Hamas field commander, Mohammed Kafarneh. Fatah said the shooting started when Hamas attacked a compound of the security forces with rocket-propelled grenades. Fatah spokesman Abdel-Halim Awad said Hamas fighters had fired first on a car carrying members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

Later, Hamas and Fatah gunmen also exchanged fire for a few minutes in Gaza City.

In another incident, two Gaza fishermen were hurt when an Israeli navy vessel fired on their boat near the Gaza-Egypt border, Palestinian security officials said.